Spend a few minutes with Wilson College President Wes Fugate and his face lights up whenever the conversation turns to Broadway. His enthusiasm is rooted in a lifelong passion for theatre that began when he was 11 years old.
After moving to Prestonsburg, Kentucky, Fugate’s family attended a performance at Jenny Wiley Theatre, a renowned summer repertory theatre. “I literally sat in the front row and said, ‘Mom, I can do better than that,’” Fugate recalled.
Soon afterward, he spotted a notice about auditions for the musical “Gypsy” in the local newspaper. With no formal preparation, he arrived armed with little more than determination, reciting the Gettysburg Address and singing a church song when the audition panel asked what he had prepared.
“My brother was along for this ride as well and suddenly we were in the show.”
That experience launched six summers of performing, from 1991 through 1996, at Jenny Wiley Theatre. During those years, Fugate worked alongside artists who would later write and produce Broadway shows, earn Tony Awards, and build successful careers in the entertainment industry.
“It was really very exciting that they were just our friends, you know,” he said. “But it became a passion.”
Yet theatre was not his original career plan. As a first-generation college student at Centre College, Fugate thought he needed to pursue one of the traditional professions. Medicine seemed like a logical choice. But after a difficult first semester, an adviser encouraged him to reconsider.
He said, “Wes, I don’t think that science brings you joy. What do you love doing?”
The answer was theatre. He also discovered he enjoyed economics, so he changed direction and studied dramatic arts and economics while helping market college productions. In his senior year, Fugate and his brother co-produced and co-directed a student production of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” with Fugate also starring in the show. Years later, the college’s retiring president recalled the production as one of his favorite memories of his tenure.
That same president also encouraged Fugate to pursue a college presidency. As he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in higher education, theatre was sidelined. Yet, Fugate remained active with the Jenny Wiley Theatre Board of Directors, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and the Kentucky Theatre Association. After moving to Virginia, he became board chair of Endstation Theatre Company, and he most recently completed a term as board chair of Totem Pole Playhouse near Chambersburg.
The turning point in Fugate’s Broadway dream took place after he joined the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), an international leadership network for CEOs and executives. The organization had specialized membership experiences, one of which was a weekend program called YPO on Broadway. Open only to members, the event not only represented a significant investment in both time and money, but it also had a wait list. After some hesitation, Fugate added his name to the list, never dreaming they would select him.
Not long afterward, Broadway producer Sue Gilad, coordinator of the program, contacted him, and they immediately hit it off. They discussed his passion for theatre, and a few weeks later, he was accepted.
“I went to a weekend that undoubtedly changed my life. It was so over the top,” he said.
The immersive experience offered behind-the-scenes access to the theatre industry. Participants met performers, directors, producers, and creative teams while gaining insight into Broadway’s business model.
Surrounded by accomplished executives from around the world, Fugate realized just how deeply he loved Broadway history and productions. Fascinated, he immersed himself in learning more and continued conversations with Gilad about becoming involved.
Inspired to share that type of experience with others, Fugate worked closely with Gilad to launch Wilson on Broadway in 2023, creating opportunities for alumnae, alumni, students, and friends of the College to experience theatre in a unique way. Participants attended major productions, met industry professionals, and enjoyed behind-the-scenes access unavailable to most audiences. Since its launch, Wilson on Broadway has held events in New York City and Philadelphia.
One of the most memorable moments took place on the eve of the Tony Awards, when participants attended performances of the musicals “The Outsiders” and “The Who’s Tommy” in New York. The next day, they celebrated via text messages as they watched producer Sue Gilad, whom they had just met, accept the Tony Award for Best Musical on behalf of “The Outsiders.”
For Fugate, however, these experiences are about far more than theatre. They also provide opportunities for meaningful connections across the Wilson community. During the event in Philadelphia, for example, Fugate shared his passion for theatre with an incoming Wilson student.
He said, “This is the perfect example of what a liberal arts education can do for you. To be able to expose others to art is such an exciting thing.”
While building Wilson on Broadway, Fugate also began exploring other Broadway opportunities, even investing in the Broadway revival of “The Who’s Tommy.” This project had special meaning for Fugate because Tony Award-winning actor Michael Cerveris, who starred in the original 1993 Broadway production, had once worked at Jenny Wiley Theatre and served as Wilson’s commencement speaker in 2022. As investors, Fugate and his husband, Cody Ward, attended the show’s opening night in 2024.
“It was the most magical experience,” Fugate said. “After that, it was clear that I wanted to do more.”
Encouraged by Gilad, Fugate’s first investment led him to become a co-producer. Together with his husband, he became involved with “Burlesque the Musical,” the stage adaptation of the popular film. The project required substantial fundraising and networking, introducing Fugate to an entirely new side of the entertainment business.
Initially uncertain whether he could succeed, Fugate ultimately helped raise enough support to become one of the the production’s leading individual co-producers. When Burlesque premiered in London’s West End, his name appeared on the show’s poster.
For Fugate, seeing his name on the show’s poster was a reminder that he could remain active in professional theatre while continuing his work in higher education.
For all of his accomplishments as a college president, producer, and educator, Fugate believes the most important lesson is a simple one: everyone needs something that brings them joy. As president of Wilson College, the demands of leadership are constant. Yet Broadway offers something increasingly rare in a world of endless notifications and obligations.
“When I go to the theatre, I turn my phone off,” he said. “It’s the only time that I ever turn my phone off. But for just a moment, I get to be in a different space and simply be absorbed by the art.”
He encourages others, especially students, to experience art, whether through visual art, music, dance, opera, theatre, or musical theatre.
“It will enrich your life in so, so many ways. And maybe like me, it will lift you on the dark days.”
